Hiding
by LittleHellion
Summary: Everyone scolds Tsunade for her drinking habits, but she doesn't care.  For Tsunade, sake isn't a drug.  It's a crutch.


I don't own Naruto or the characters from Naruto. That is my disclaimer; I have disclaimed.

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Everyone always scolds Tsunade for her drinking habits, but she doesn't care. 

She's been drinking since the day she left Konoha, and she doesn't intend to stop.

Not that she's a drunk…no, she wouldn't be a capable Kunoichi, let along a competent Hokage. For Tsunade, sake is not a drug.

It's a crutch.

She hides because she is the Hokage, and she needs to focus on her people.

Manipulation, lies and deceit are all requirements in ninja life; as are agility and_ stealth._

They all got to this point because they _are_ ninja, and they're _really good _at hiding, even from themselves.

Especially from themselves.

Kakashi hides behind_ Icha Icha, _because the images in his head – the faces of all those people he killed – refuse to leave him alone when he's idle. He's really good at multitasking, and honestly, he's more alert when he's immersed in his fantasy world.

He drowns himself in ersatz pleasure, because the imagined moans and screams of Aneka-the-character are preferred over the echoing moans and screams of Aneka-the-target.

Tsunade can't blame him, because she understands what it's like to want to forget. She's done it before.

Jiraiya hides behind his research, because he blames himself for the defection of his teammate, Orochimaru, and watching Naruto go through the same thing sent a feeling through him similar to the feeling of being unable to vomit, but he's a seasoned ninja and that feeling is very easy to put aside.

He drowns himself in fantasy and naked women because he's guilty, but nobody really gets that his heart's not in it.

Tsunade can't blame him, because she understands what it's like to feel guilty. She's done it before.

Sasuke hid behind his hatred, because he couldn't bear to think about the big brother who left him all alone; he focused on that hatred, because he _knew _that hate is just a different form of love, and he didn't want to remember the good times.

Sasuke is gone now, and he ruined his own life to chase after his older brother.

He drowns himself in hate, because he may have ruined his own life, but he knows he's justified. He _had _to ruin his own life, so he wouldn't feel like the older brother he loved – and still loves – had already done it for him.

Tsunade can't blame him, because she knows what it's like to run away. She's done it before.

Sakura hides behind her fists, because she's too afraid to appear weak. Her heart's been torn out by the man she loves, and she just _knows _that if she'd been stronger, she could've stopped it. She loves her sensei, she loves her teammates, and she loves Konoha, but they all love her back and the one she wants more than _anything else _is the only one she couldn't save.

She drowns herself in training, because she will _not _let go of anyone else she cares about. She knows that's selfish, and she feels bad about it, but she hides from that, too.

Tsunade can't blame her, because she knows what it's like to be selfish. She's done it before.

Naruto hides the least, and the most, out of everyone she knows. He hides behind his promises; he never breaks his promises, and he won't give up on Sasuke, because he promised Sakura he'd bring him back to her. When he's living up to his word, he doesn't have to remember how hurt he is that until he started making promises to people, nobody alive ever promised him anything.

He hides behind his enthusiasm; he's so busy cheering everyone on that he doesn't have to remember those years he spent alone, watching others get cheered on and wishing that was him.

He hides behind his training, his abilities, and even his missions. The harder he works, and the more successful missions he returns from, the more assurance he has that he's able to protect people and _keep _those promises he's made.

Tsunade can't blame him, because she knows what it's like to cover up the past. She's done it before.

There are more secrets in her village than there are stars in the sky, and because of those secrets, Konoha turns out the best Shinobi of all the elemental countries. Ninja are mysterious people, and they guard themselves well.

Tsunade hides behind her sake, because _she_ wants to forget, too. She's done it all, and she's still here, and if she's honest with herself, it's really only because Naruto isn't ready to be the Hokage, and she won't die until he achieves Nawaki's dream.

She feels guilty, she feels selfish, and she's run away from her past. But she's the Hokage, and she has to watch out for these people – the people who could very well die tomorrow.

Of course, these observations are made after a long day of worrying and pretending to do paperwork – she doesn't want to do it because she doesn't want to know who she sent to their death today.

She's currently drowning herself in sake, so all this could just be the nearly-incoherent musings of a tired old lady who's seen and heard too much.

But soon she'll be asleep, and she'll forget about all _that, _too.

She's an exceptional Kunoichi, and she's _really good _at hiding.


End file.
